Counterweight assembly

ABSTRACT

A counterweight assembly includes a tubular grip shaft attached to a golf club, a bearing member mounted in the tubular grip shaft and having a first fastening device, a locating member having a second fastening device fastened to the first fastening device of the bearing member, and a counterweight having an outer thread threaded into an inner thread in the locating member. Through the relative arrangement of the bearing member, locating member and counterweight of the counterweight assembly, every user can replace the counterweight to adjust the overall weight of the golf club for best fit for swinging. Thus, consumers need not to purchase various golf clubs of different counterweight ratios but simply to select a set of different weights of counterweights for the counterweight assembly, saving the cost.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to sporting equipment handle technology, and more particularly, to a counterweight assembly for handle grip of golf club that allows change of the counterweight ratio in a convenient manner.

2. Description of the Related Art

Golf is one of the most popular recreational sports so the golf equipment and its related accessories also gradually getting people's attention. Golf clubs are the most important tools for playing golf games. The quality of the golf clubs will have a direct impact on the stability of driving and the path of the ball. The counterweight of a golf club will also affect the user's swinging feeling and performance to a certain extent.

The counterweight of a golf club determines the weight ratio between the shaft (including the grip) and the club head. According to conventional techniques, the counterweight is fixed and not changeable after the club is made. In order to gradually adjust the swinging operation, every user may need to purchase various golf clubs of different counterweight ratios at one time or through several times, bringing inconvenience to storage and carrying and increasing the cost. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a golf club design that allows the user to select different counterweight ratios in the cost-effective manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a counterweight assembly for handle grip of golf club, which allows change of a different weight of counterweight.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a counterweight assembly for handle grip of golf club in accordance with the present invention comprises a tubular grip shaft attached to a golf club, comprising an accommodation chamber and a stop flange stopped at one end of the golf club; a bearing member mounted in the accommodation chamber of the tubular grip shaft and comprising a first a fastening device therein; a locating member comprising a second fastening device located at the periphery thereof and fastened to the first fastening device of the bearing member, and an inner thread located in an inner perimeter thereof; and a counterweight comprising an outer thread threaded into the inner thread of the locating member.

Preferably, the first fastening device of the bearing member of the counterweight assembly is an inner thread; the second fastening device of the locating member is an outer thread threaded into the inner thread of the first fastening device of the bearing member to secure the bearing member and the locating member firmly together.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevational view of a counterweight assembly for handle grip of golf club in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the counterweight assembly for handle grip of golf club in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of the locating member of the counterweight assembly for handle grip of golf club in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional applied view of the present invention, illustrating the counterweight assembly mounted around the inner tube of the golf club.

FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 5, illustrating a different size of counterweight installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a counterweight assembly 1 for use in a shaft of a golf club (not shown) in accordance with the present invention is shown. The counterweight assembly 1 comprises a tubular grip shaft 10, a bearing member 20, a locating member 30, and a counterweight 40.

The tubular grip shaft 10 comprises an end wall 12 located at one end thereof, an accommodation chamber 11 located in the end wall 12 and longitudinally extended toward an inner side thereof, and a stop flange 13 located in a bottom side of the accommodation chamber 11 for stopping at one end of an inner tube P in the shaft of the golf club.

The outer diameter of the bearing member 20 is configured to fit the accommodation chamber 11 of the tubular grip shaft 10 so that the bearing member 20 can be press-fitted into the accommodation chamber 11. The bearing member 20 comprises a head 22, a base 24 located at a bottom side of the head 22, a hole 21 cut through the head 22 and the base 24, and a first fastening device 212 located in an inner wall of the hole 21. In this embodiment, the first fastening device 212 is a machining processed inner thread.

The locating member 30 comprises a bottom 32, a hollow shank 31 perpendicularly extended from one side of the bottom 32 toward the base 24 of the bearing member 20, and a second fastening device 312 located at the periphery of the hollow shank 31. In this embodiment, the second fastening device 312 is a machining processed outer thread threaded into the inner thread of the first fastening device 212 of the bearing member 20 to connect the hollow shank 31 of the locating member 30 to the bearing member 20. The locating member 30 further comprises a inner thread 314 machining processed on an inner wall of the hollow shank 31, and a tool hole 33 located in the center of the bottom 32 and extended through the hollow shank 31 toward the base 24 of the bearing member 20 and kept in communication with the inner thread 314 for the positioning of a tool that can be hexagonal, pentagonal, square, triangular, cross-shaped, plus sign-shaped, linear, star- shaped and, that is operable to rotate the locating member 30

The counterweight 40 comprises a protrusion 41 located at one end thereof, and an outer thread 412 machining processed on the periphery of the protrusion 41 for threading into the inner thread 314 of the locating member 30. Further, the outer diameter of the counterweight 40 is smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular grip shaft 10, and smaller than or equal to the inner diameter of the inner tube P of the golf club, and thus, the counterweight 40 can be positioned in the inner tube P of the golf club. The counterweight 40 has a predetermined weight, shape and dimension. Further, the counterweight 40 can be of metal, rubber, plastic, reinforced concrete, brick or wood, by any of a variety of techniques such as machining, liquid molding, sand casting, metal injection molding, etc. In the present preferred embodiment, the counterweight 40 is cylindrical shaped member.

After understood the structural details, the operation and effects of the counterweight assembly will now be described hereinafter.

Referring also to FIGS. 5 and 6, in installation, insert the inner tube P of the golf club into the tubular grip shaft 10 of the counterweight assembly 1 to stop one end of the inner tube P against one side of the stop flange 13 of the tubular grip shaft 10, and then thread the outer thread 412 of the counterweight 40 into the inner thread 314 of the locating member 30 to connect the locating member 30 and the counterweight 40 together, and then thread the outer thread of the second fastening device 312 of the locating member 30 into the inner thread of the first fastening device 212 of the bearing member 20 to secure the bearing member 20 and the locating member 30 together, and then mount the bearing member 20 in the accommodation chamber 11 of the tubular grip shaft 10 to abut the bearing member 20 against an opposite side of the stop flange 13 of the tubular grip shaft 10, holding the counterweight 40 in the inner tube P of the golf club. At this time, the installation of the counterweight assembly 1 is done.

The installation of the counterweight assembly 1 in one end of the golf club has the advantages and effects as follows: Through the relative arrangement of the bearing member 20, locating member 30 and counterweight 40 of the counterweight assembly 1, every user can replace the counterweight 40 to adjust the overall weight of the golf club for best fit for swinging. Thus, consumers need not to purchase various golf clubs of different counterweight ratios but simply to select a set of different weights of counterweights 40 for the counterweight assembly 1, saving the cost. In conclusion, the counterweight assembly 1 allows the user to selectively attach one of a set of different weights of counterweights 40 for application, achieving the expected effect and purpose.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A counterweight assembly, comprising: a tubular grip shaft (10) attached to a golf club, said tubular grip shaft (10) comprising an accommodation chamber (11), and a stop flange (13) stopped at one end of said golf club; a bearing member (20) mounted in said accommodation chamber (11) of said tubular grip shaft (10), said bearing member (20) comprising a first fastening device (212) located therein; a locating member (30) comprising a second fastening device (312) located at the periphery thereof and fastened to said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20), and an inner thread (314) located in an inner perimeter thereof; and a counterweight (40) comprising an outer thread (412) threaded into said inner thread (314) of said locating member (30).
 2. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular grip shaft (10) further comprises an end wall (12); said accommodation chamber (11) is located in said end wall (12) and longitudinally extended toward an inner side of said tubular grip shaft (10).
 3. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing member (20) comprises a head (22) and a base (24) located at a bottom side of said head, and a hole (21) cut through said head (22) and said base (24); said first fastening device (212) is located in an inner wall of said hole (21).
 4. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claims 1, wherein said locating member (30) comprises a bottom (32) and a hollow shank (31) extended from the bottom (32); said second fastening device (312) is located at the periphery of said hollow shank (31) and fastened to said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20); the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30) is located in an inner perimeter of said hollow shank (31) and threaded onto the outer thread (412) of said counterweight (40).
 5. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said locating member (30) further comprises a tool hole (33) cut through said bottom (32) in communication with the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30).
 6. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said counterweight (40) comprises a protrusion (41); the outer thread (412) of said counterweight (40) is located at the periphery of said protrusion (41) and threaded into the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30).
 7. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20) is an inner thread; said second fastening device (312) of said locating member (30) is an outer thread threaded into the inner thread of said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20).
 8. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20) is an inner thread; said second fastening device (312) of said locating member (30) is an outer thread threaded into the inner thread of said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20).
 9. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of said counterweight (40) is smaller than the inner diameter of said tubular grip shaft (10), and smaller or equal to the inner diameter of said inner tube (P) of said golf club.
 10. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claims 2, wherein said locating member (30) comprises a bottom (32) and a hollow shank (31) extended from the bottom (32); said second fastening device (312) is located at the periphery of said hollow shank (31) and fastened to said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20); the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30) is located in an inner perimeter of said hollow shank (31) and threaded onto the outer thread (412) of said counterweight (40).
 11. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said locating member (30) further comprises a tool hole (33) cut through said bottom (32) in communication with the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30).
 12. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said counterweight (40) comprises a protrusion (41); the outer thread (412) of said counterweight (40) is located at the periphery of said protrusion (41) and threaded into the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30).
 13. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20) is an inner thread; said second fastening device (312) of said locating member (30) is an outer thread threaded into the inner thread of said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20).
 14. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claims 3, wherein said locating member (30) comprises a bottom (32) and a hollow shank (31) extended from the bottom (32); said second fastening device (312) is located at the periphery of said hollow shank (31) and fastened to said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20); the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30) is located in an inner perimeter of said hollow shank (31) and threaded onto the outer thread (412) of said counterweight (40).
 15. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said locating member (30) further comprises a tool hole (33) cut through said bottom (32) in communication with the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30).
 16. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said counterweight (40) comprises a protrusion (41); the outer thread (412) of said counterweight (40) is located at the periphery of said protrusion (41) and threaded into the inner thread (314) of said locating member (30).
 17. The counterweight assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20) is an inner thread; said second fastening device (312) of said locating member (30) is an outer thread threaded into the inner thread of said first fastening device (212) of said bearing member (20). 